When it comes to emergency preparedness you can never have too much stuff, but when you are building a bug out bag you need to limit your survival gear to what you can carry. To do this you need to determine what your goals are. If you are just planning on using your bag to get from point A to point B in 3 days or less, you might only need a basic 72-hour bug out bag kit. If you plan on long term survival where you need to get food from the wild, or if you think you might run into dangerous people, you will need something much more extensive.
Basic Bug Out Bag Kit List
- A Plan
- Medical Records
- Cash
- I.D. (including birth certificate)
- Local maps
- Food for 72-hours. I recommend food that is ready to eat.
- Water for 72-hours. The U.S. Recommends 1-gallon per person per day. You can get by with less if you have a good water filter and a water source.
- First Aid Kit (including any required medication)
- Fire starting tool (matches, lighter, ferro rod, etc.)
- Flashlight and extra batteries
- Signal whistle
- Dust mask
- Gloves
- Rain poncho
- Emergency survival blanket
The contents of this kit should be enough for a single person to survive for 3-days in ideal conditions. Of course conditions are not always idea and this is why we recommend buying a more extensive bug out bag kit, or supplementing a basic kit to meet your prepper needs.
Advanced Bug Out Bag Kit List
In addition to everything in a basic kit, you might want to consider including the following to improve your chances of survival.
- More food (the more you have the longer you live).
- More water (ways to clean it and store it).
- Cooking Supplies (pots, cups, utensils).
- Hunting equipment (traps, snares, slingshot).
- Fixed blade knife (for protection or hunting).
- Multitool knife
- Gun and ammo (for protection or hunting).
- Shelter (or a tarp to make a shelter).
- Sleeping Bag
- Extra Clothes
- Duct tape
- Rope
- Compass
- Mobile Phone and Charger.
- Portable emergency radio.
- Solar Panel
- Hatchet
- Sunscreen
This list could almost go on forever. The more survival gear you have the better your chances of survival
Extreme Bug Out Bag Kit List
- Gas Mask
- Radiation Suit
- Radiation Tablets (Potassium Iodide Tablets)
- Night vision
- Ham Radio
